As I mentioned the other day, since I haven’t really had anything blog-worthy happening this last week, Mother is helping me get some old posts out of my draft folder that never saw the light of day. This one comes back from around the fourth of July, hence all the patriotic-ness.
I’ve talked a few times about my inability to make a pancake. Well, I’m no better at a biscuit. No matter what, mine never rise. I don’t know if I’m overzealous in my mixing or kneading or if the atmosphere of my house just isn’t conducive (let’s go with that one, mkay?) Regardless, every now and again I get a bee in my bonnet to try a new recipe in hopes that fluffy, flaky, delicious biscuits will soon be gracing my table. As evidenced in this picture, I was once again outsmarted by the biscuit. These Buttermilk Cheddar ones from the Barefoot Contessa were yummy and promptly scarfed down, but they resembled more of a hockey puck than a breakfast food.
Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits
Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
1 cold extra-large egg
1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.
- Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.
- Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through.
- Serve hot or warm.
If you have any foil proof biscuit tips, send ’em over. Because I know I’ll be trying my hand at them again soon. Oh, and I find it kind of ironic that Mother chose today to make a can of Grands for our breakfast. They were perfect :-)
xoxo
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I’m no good at biscuits, either. But I can rock a pancake! These look delicious!
Your biscuit woes sound just like mine. I have tried making biscuits so many times, but it is usually in vain. And I’ve tried all the tricks about making sure the ingredients are cold, etc. Alas, I have resorted to the Grands or Pillsbury frozen biscuits.
I am pretty good at biscuits, thanks to my mother who makes delicious biscuits. I use only White Lily self rising flour and Crisco…no butter!! For the liquid use half sweet milk and half butter milk. Do not over work them.. put the dough on a floured surface, turn it to cover with flour and knead maybe two light times. I never use a rolling pin, just my hands. I make mine in an iron skillet at a super high temp…450! I like for my biscuits to have a crusty bottom so I put Crisco in the pan and set the pan in the oven to preheat. I am no good at yeast bread so I feel your pain! Hope this might help. If you ever come to Decatur, AL I will be glad to make some with you!!:)
That would be SO much fun. If I’m ever there don’t be surprised to have me turn up on your door step :-)
Well, they look delicious regardless. I haven’t tried my hand much with biscuits, and now I am thinking it will be even hard using Gluten Free ingredients. But, might give it a try. I love Ina’s recipes!!
I used to have the same problem with biscuits. This will solve your problem: http://the2seasons.com/2015/05/14/best-ever-lemon-biscuits-recipe/
For just plain biscuits, omit the lemon and glaze. I also have a cinnamon version on the blog. They’re soooo yummy.
Hope you are feeling better. When Jordan was in high school, we had a middle of the night run to the emergency room thinking she had appendicitis, but it turned out to be Crohn’s disease. She has lived with it for over 17 years.
Okay, done. I’m trying them!!
I, too, am a biscuit making failure…despite always living in the south with a family of great biscuit makers! BUT I found this recipe on a blog called Plain Chicken and despite it’s very weird ingredients make a delicious fluffy no-fail biscuit. Please try it! Link to the recipe:
http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/04/7up-biscuits.html
I’m intrigued! I’ll definitely try!
I have always loved to cook, but biscuits eluded me. About 6 years ago, I decided to watch my mother (an excellent biscuit maker) make biscuits. Then every day for two weeks we had biscuits until I had perfected them. I too use only White Lilly Self-Rising Flour (as my mother and grandmother also swear by). But the only other ingredients I use are buttermilk (about equal to the flour) and a splash of cooking oil. I mix it in a bowl by hand, turn it onto a floured suface, pat, not roll, it out and cut the biscuits with a juice glass. Bake at 450 for about 8-10 minutes. Fluffy everytime. They are a good texture to pull apart to put a piece of country ham onto, or just right to soak up some honey butter.
Sounds easy! I will give it a go :-)
Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups White Lily self-rising flour
¼ cup Crisco
2/3 to ¾ cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Measure flour and place in bowl. Cut shortening into flour until it resembles course crumbs. Add buttermilk to form soft dough. Turn dough onto floured surface (I use paper towel with flour rubbed in). Knead 2 or 3 times. Pat or roll to ½ inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 12 biscuits
To make cheese biscuits, add about a cup or more of grated sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese after cutting in shortening. Mix cheese into flour mixture, then add buttermilk and proceed as above.
Thank you, Bonnie! Adding this to my list to try :-)
I feel your pain when it comes to baking anything–I’m with your mom about Grand biscuits. They come out perfect every time! xoxo
I’m biscuit challenged. I attempted to make biscuits for my grandma, she couldn’t say a negative word about anyone, so she looked at them and said, “honey these would make great door stops!”
This is the only recipe that has every worked for me: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/11/sweet-potato-biscuits/